Well, sorry for the long wait, I've been cooking up a small idea and I had my besteh over this weekend. But anyways, here it is! OH! And I posted up the picture on my DeviantArt! Go check it out fi you want: my username is Fayne-Darkness (not creative, I know XD)

Reviews time!

To the Poet's Raven: Glad you liked the song! I'm trying to learn to play the piano just to play it when I get bored XD And I don't know... the fountain part just... stuck XD Awww, I didn't necessarily mean something bad would happen. Ah, and I can answer that! She didn't ask mostly because she was too busy laughing/wondering if it was significant XB She never got the chance to ask, but maybe...

To CinamonLollipops: Ahah XD Funny, I always think that when I re-read XD You're probably not the only one wishing for it, so I think you'll get your wish sooner than anticipated.

To Poseidon's-Princess: OMG OWL! =D It's so cute!~

To Tera Loveless Uchiha: Yeah, mine had decided to blow up in my face too XD I hope I got Olette in-character enough though =S I doubt it. And I'm very happy to know that you liked the song =3

To Kirei Ryuusei: Yeah, Zexy's cool =3 And as for Riku... I don't particullarly like him... but I'll try and find him a waitressing job or something (Oh! How about in a SKIRT? Mouhahahaha) Kidding XD

Don't be shy and let me know if you want something to appear in this story. I'll fit it in! Also tell me if you'd like a one-shot/story about a certain subject.

On to Paper Moon!

Paper Moon

Chapter Nineteen (HOMGWTFBBQ! So many chapters! XD)

Letter of Recognition

Sora

I examined the enveloppe carefully in my hands, the seal being completely ignored as I read the from address, my frown deepening. Roxas sits down beside me, still a little groggy from his sleep, scratching the back of his head absentmindedly while he yawns.

"Whazzat?" He asks tiredly, blinking.

"A letter from my grandfather." I say, confusion running deep in my voice as I turn the enveloppe around and break the seal almost hesitantly. I slip the paper out of the enveloppe, opening the letter and skimming my eyes over the scripted letters, each stroke of ink deliberate and quick.

It is my great pleasure to invite you to the crowning ceremony this Saturday at six in the evening. I will be taking my leave, as I am old, and therefore, I will be pronouncing the new King to the kingdom of Austria-Hungary (A.N.: Quick note: I know that Austria-Hungary is no longer allied like that - such a shame - but let's pretend, mmk? The Country-that-shall-not-be-named finally has a name!) and leave all my worldly possessions to him. I hope you may join me in this event. You may bring one escort - a friend, family member, or significant other.

-Xemnas (A.N.: Ahah! His identity has been revealed! Persistant old coot.)

"This is... odd." He mutters mostly to himself. I nod, silently agreeing as I place it onto the table and pass a hand over my face, looking up to the lights on the ceiling afterwards.

"What is he up to?" I ask no one in particullar. Roxas shrugs.

"It can't be that bad." A comforting hand on my shoulder. I nod almost robotically, eyes never straying far from the letter.

Nevertheless we arrive there shortly after six, both of us wearing semi-formal clothes, I keeping my eyes to my shoes, wishing I could just leave. The sound of fake, I'm-better-than-you laughter rings in my ears as the doorman opens the door for us with a smile. Roxas thanks him gently as I finally force myself to lift my eyes up and to look around me, to see just how many people have come.

My eyes fall over people wearing formal attire, ranging from slightly exposing dresses for the women and various daughters of said pomptuous people, with men in tuxedoes talking to one another, pretending they care about what the other is saying, weighing out if the person they're speaking to is worth their time, worth being allowed to be seen talking to.

I hold back both a snore, a sigh, and the will to bolt out of there as he follows me silently, passing through the crowd and stopping by a small, neglected fountain in the corner. The bubbling sound of the water falling off the rocks into the small pool below relaxes me a little, and I find my shoulders relaxing. I let out a small sigh as I run my fingers through the water.

"I hate events like this." I tell him gently, and over the sound of the badly-played violins, flutes and piano, only he has a hope of hearing me. He smiles gently, watching a fish with golden scales as it swims around robotically through the water.

"I can understand why." He shakes his head, as if to rid his ears of something. "All their fake laughing is grating on my nerves."

I nod, looking out the window nearby a moment, the moon shining through the clouds despite their attempt to block its glow. I look back at him.

"And I bet you half my fortune that in less than five minutes mothers will advance and attempt to bribe me into marrying their daughters, or dancing with them, whichever." He chuckles to himself gently at that, an eyebrow raised.

"Well, you are right about that." He points to his left with his index finger, at where a woman is holding her daughter by the shoulders, speaking sternly to her, keeping her voice low. I make a face.

"Come on." I grab him by the arm and walk quickly to where an open patio door allows a warm, crisp afternoon breeze to enter the ballroom. I step through with Roxas following me, breathing in deeply as he encounters the fresh air, pure and unobtrused by the heat of bodies, the smell they carry. He walks over to the railing, hoisting himself onto it and sitting on it, his back pressed onto the side of grandfather's home, one leg up on the railing and another hanging off the side, swining back and forth mindlessly.

"You were rather quick to escape." He laughs gently. I lean my back against the railing, looking to the stars.

"You've never had about fifteen girls your age hounding you and trying to make you fall for them instantly just so they can become a Queen, have you?" I look at him, a gentle wind brushing aside his hair in his face as he turns his head to look at me, cerulean eyes meeting mine.

"I think you know the answer to that." He looks up to the sky again.

"I rest my case." I sigh, letting my head hang back and closing my eyes, just letting the sounds of the seventy-some people inside drown out, so that all I hear is Roxas whenever he shifts slightly. Feet, probably clad in small heels, sound against the porch floor as I open my eyes, looking to whoever came.

"Well, little cousin, I find it odd enough that you're already hiding out. Thought you would have lasted a little longer." The brownish-red-headded girl standing a few feet away smiles, eyes watching me.

"I didn't want to come here." I tell her flatly. Roxas tilts his head to the side curiously as he looks at her. "Roxas, this is my older cousin, Aerith. Aerith, this is-"

"It's the kid Uncle Ansem was talking about!" She squeals, walking to stand near him. "Cuter than I'd thought he'd be." I shoot her a look, and she steps back from him. Seemingly thankful for the space, he gets down from his perch and puts a little more space between her and him, standing behind me a little. "Though I see he's already taken."

I sigh, hanging my head as she walks back inside joyfully. He laughs softly beside me. I stick out my tongue at him.

"Come on; grandfather seems to want all the attention right now." I make a face, grabbing his arm again and walking into the ballroom, standing just near the door, mostly for the fresh air.

"I would like to thank you all for coming out here tonight." He starts, holding a wine glass gently in his old hands. "It means much to me that you have. I am very sad to have to leave this behind me now, and wait for my time to come. I have had great joy in these seventy-six years guiding this magnificent country through the generations."

They start to clap as he pauses, and he smiles, tapping his glass to silence them again, his glass winking in the light of the chandeliers.

"Thank you. Now, I will move on to the main reason we are here, and present to you with the new ruler of Austria-Hungary." He makes a wide gesture with his hands, face beaming. A hollow feeling creeps into my stomach. I got a bad feeling about this. "Please, give your warm grace to our new King, Sora Hikari."

Roxas

He froze, eyes wide as the words clicked in his mind. The guests turn around as his nameis spoken, looking for him, mothers and daughters alike finding him fairly easily - they seem to have had a lot of practice for that - and whispering eagerly underneath their breath. And one by one, they lower down onto one knee, until the talest person is scant higher than my shoulder now. He backs up, as if he wants to escape, his back hitting the wall and making him let out a small squeak. I watch him, unable to do anything.

He promised... I wasn't sure if it was my thought, or Sora whispering the words so gently. He brings his hands to his head, and he lets out a cry that resembles so much a 'no', shaking his head back and forth, tears falling down his cheeks in time with the trickling water on the rocks of the fountain. The guests look up, and seem to be shocked at his reaction. I whip my head to look at his grandfather.

"You promised!" I shout at him, eyes accusing. "You promised him!"

"I have the right to choose, boy." He says coldly, making the wine in his glass twirl across the inside. "I shall not be told what to do by some commoner."

I narrow my eyes at him.

"I didn't ask you for it; he did!" I point out, taking an angry step forward. "You said you would grant his wish, and yet here you are, stabbing him in the back! That is not what a normal grandfather would do to their grandchild!" The guests look at me in confusion.

I turn around to Sora as he falls to his knees, shoulder shaking, and I kneel beside him, a hand to his shoulder. He's still shaking his head, whispering a thousand 'no' under his breath. Small whispers come up through the ballroom, and I shoot them all a glare, silencing them. He looks at me from the corner of his eyes.

"Don't worry." I say with a smile, squeezing his shoulder a little. He looks lost, afraid, but most of all, he looks betrayed. "No one'll force you. I promise."

"He has no choice." A stern voice says, and I look up into the penetrating stare of his grandfather. I grit my teeth.

"I won't." He says a little louder, and Sora lifts his eyes up to glare at him. "You know why."

"Because of him." He jerks his chin in my direction, almost as if I repulse him.

"No - well, half - but because I know I will only hurt people in the end." Angrily wiping his eyes now, he stands, facing his grandfather off with the coldest gaze I've seen him give. "You ignore Aerith of her rights only because she is a girl, and you think it should be a boy to be given the title, and not a girl. You're a sexist man who doesn't even let someone live their life. But no matter how many times you tell me to take your place, I'll always tell you the same thing." He helps me up. "I will never do it, grandfather."

And just like that, ignoring his grandfather as he shouts after us, Sora pulls me along through the doorway, only breaking down when we're secluded from the world.

That place turns out to be back at his home, in his room. He sits on the matress, petting Sombra's fur over and over, Luna sitting on his lap and looking at him, whimpering slightly. I look at him as I come back through the bathroom door, having changed out of the annoying semi-formal clothes. He cries no tears, but they shine in his eyes, held back only by sheer disbelief.

"I thought he'd... that he was going to keep it." He says softly, hugging Sombra to his chest softly, burying his nose in the growing pup's fur. I sit down beside him, Luna coming to sit on my lap. I pet her head absentmindedly.

"I can't immagine why I believed him for a second." He says bitterly.

"Because it was a hope you were willing to hold on to for the sake of what you desired." I tell him. He looks at me. "It's not your fault, you know. None of it is."

"I know." He leans his head against my shoulder, letting Sombra jump onto the ground, where he walks to in front of the fireplace, curls up into a ball, and starts to drift off to sleep. Luna follows his example, clambering from my lap. He sighs. "Thanks."

"I'll always be here." He smiles now, tilting his head up to look at me, eyes a little more like I remember them. Stretching his neck, he kisses me for a small, brief moment, pulling back gently afterwards, looking at me, mere inches from me.

We both lean in again slightly, and he brings his hands up to the side of my face, holding me there as he clambers on my lap and pushes my back against the matress, my head meeting the pillow. He remains that way, holding me just about captive there.

I think I can finish this chapter off here. I'm dreading going to a supper tonight, mostly because there was like over ten people here, and the noise from yesterday really makes me want to just stay home and relax. Here's hoping I can ask my parents to stay here, even though I feel a little bad at doing that. But if I manage to do that, there'll be one or two more chapters today =3

Anyways, wish me luck XD